Executive changes announced at RAI and its operating companies

Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) has announced several executive changes at both RAI and its largest subsidiary, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. All the changes will be effective Oct. 1.

Debra Crew, who is currently president and chief commercial officer of R.J. Reynolds, will become president and chief operating officer of the company. She will assume management responsibility for the company’s manufacturing operations and research and development functions, in addition to her ongoing responsibility for the consumer and trade marketing functions.

Nancy Hawley, who is currently senior vice president of operations at R.J. Reynolds, will be promoted to executive vice president of operations for the company.

Daniel J. Herko, who is currently senior vice president of research and development for R.J. Reynolds, will be promoted to executive vice president of research and development for the company. Herko will also become an executive vice president of RAI Services Company and will be responsible for managing regulatory oversight for RAI’s subsidiaries.

When Crew assumes her new responsibilities, Jeffery Gentry, who is currently R.J. Reynolds’ executive vice president of operations and chief scientific officer, will move to a project role overseeing the ongoing integration of Lorillard operations into subsidiaries of RAI. Gentry plans to retire in the first half of 2016.

Thomas Adams, who served as RAI’s executive vice president and chief financial officer from 2008 to March 2015 and has been overseeing the integration of Lorillard operations, now plans to retire on Oct. 1, when Gentry assumes responsibility for overseeing the integration.

“Reynolds American places great importance on its talent-development and succession-planning processes,” says Susan Cameron, RAI’s president and CEO. “As a result, we have a talented pool of top-notch executives ready to move into key leadership roles for our companies. Strong people and strong brands are the keys to success in consumer packaged-goods businesses, and Reynolds American and its subsidiaries are fortunate to have both.”